Turn-key for light-fixtures.



R. M. BRYCE;

TURN KEY FOR LIGHT FIXTURES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 81, 1907.

936,5 1 8 Patented Oct. 12, 1909.

ROBERT M. BRYCE, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

TURN-KEY FOR LIGHT-FIXTURES.

Application filed December 31, 1907.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1909.

Serial No. 408,783.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT M. Bnrcn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Turn-Keys for l iight-l ixtures, of which the following is a specification.

It is exceedingly ditlicult, particularly so for persons of short stature, to operate the switch controlling incandescent lights sus pended from the ceiling, and this is specially so where the lights are located on a ceiling chandelier for gas, in which case the usual practice is to locate the incandescent lights above the gas burners.

The objects of the present invention are to construct a turn key which can be readily and quickly applied to the thumb piece of the switch stem of an incandescent light fixture, and when attached enable a person of ordinary, or even short stature, to operate the switch, and this without any inconvenience or trouble; to furnish a turn key for the switch of incandescent electric lights adapted to be applied to the fingerpiece of the switch stem, and when attached hang free, so as not to present a rigid hanger that might interfere with the passage of persons under the chandelier; to construct a turn key for the switch of an incandescent electric light formed from a strip of thin metal bent into shape to furnish a receiving socket or clasp with spring fingers for application to the fingerpiece of the stem of the switch and having suspended therefrom a stem or pendantby means of which the switch can be operated; to furnish stops between the socket or clasp member and the stem or pendant member, for insuring a positive engagement between the two in use; and to improve generally the construction and operation of the turn key for use with an incandescent electric light switch or other ap pliance for controlling a light or flame.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating the invention Figure 1 is a side elevation, showing an incandescent light fixture, with the turn key of the invention applied to the fingerpiece or button of the switch stem, and with the stem or pendant of the turn key broken out; Fig. 2 an end elevation of the socket section V g l l I l or member of the turn key, showing the stem or pendant section or member attached by an eye or loop; Fig. 3 a central cross-section of the socket section or member of the turn key; Fig. 4 a side elevation of the socket section or member of the turn key; Fig. a top or plan View of the socket section or member of' the turn key; and Fig. 6 an end elevation of the socket section or member, showing a modification in attaching the pendant or stem.

The turn key of the present invention has a section or member formed of a thin metal strip, turned or bent into shape so as to furnish or form a socket or clasp adapted to have entered therein the finger-piece or button of the switch stem, and have the stem when entered, held therein so as to constitute, in effect, a supplemental fingerpiece or button. The thin metal strip is cut of the required length so that, when turned or formed into shape, a socket or clasp will be furnished as shown in Figs. 1 to 6. The strip is bent to furnish a body or side walls 1, having at each corner of each side wall a spring linger 2, which fingers are curved slightly inward, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 6, so that, when the socket or clasp has fully entered on the fingerpiece or button of the switch stem, the spring fingers or ends will engage the upper or inner face of the fingerpiece or button, as shown in F 1, and retain the socket or clasp in position on the iingerpiece or button in using the turn key to operate the switch. Each side wall 1, at its end edges, has an inwardly and laterally turned ear or lug 8, and these cars or lugs form stops to hold the socket or clasp against end movement or play when on the button of the switch stem. The side walls 1 extend from a bottom wall 4, which limits the entering of the button of the switch stem into the socket or clasp. The bottom or wall 4; and one of the side walls 1 has struck therefrom a piece which is turned outward or downward so as to furnish an ear 5, having a rounded lower edge 6 with a hole 7 to form an eye or loop, into which eye or loop is entered the pendant or stem sec tion or member of the turn key. To the ear 5 and on each side of the rounded edge 6 are shoulders 8, and a pendant or stem when in engagement therewith enables the operator to turn the fingerpiece or pendant of the switch stem.

The pendant or stem section or member 9 of the turn key .is formed from a metallic strand, such as wire, or a metal. strip, and when formed into shape, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, has, at the upper or attached end an eye or loop 10 which is entered into the hole 7 of the ear 5, and is so arranged that it will engage the face of the ear adjacent to the stop or shoulder 8 on one side or the other of the ear and furnish the fulcrum for turning the button of the switch stem; and, as shown, at the lower or grasping end of the pendant or stem 9 is formed a finger loop 11, which furnishes a grasp for the hand of the operator. The pendant or stem, in the arrangement shown in Fig. 6 has a curved neck 12 at the upper end, which joins a cross bar 13 with the body or main portion of the pendant or stem 9, and the cross bar 13 has thereon stops 11, for the purpose of readily permitting the fixture button to be actuated by the. pendant. The cross bar 13 is passed through the hole 7 of the ear, and when through the outer stop 14: is formed so as to insure the turning of the switch stem by the socket or clasp with the turning of the pendant or stem section or member 9 of the turn key, as one of the stops let of the pendant or stem engages With the ear furnishing a fulcrum by which the socket or clasp can be positively turned with the turning of the pendant or stem.

The turn key of the invention is shown applied to the fingerpiece or button 15 of the switch stem 16 of an electric light fixture, but it will be understood that the turn key is applicable for use and can be used with the fingerpiece or button of a gas fixture, in precisely the same way as applied to and used with the fingerpiece or button of an electric light switch.

In use, the clasp or socket, formed of a thin metal strip, with the body or side walls 1, spring fingers 2, end stops 3, bottom 41, and depending ear 5, all integral, is forced onto the fingerpiece or button of an electric light switch or a gas valve, so that the body or side walls 1 and spring fingers 2 will en gage the body and inner face of the fingerpiece or button and hold and retain the turn key, as a whole, in position, with the pendant or stem 9 down-hanging, as shown in Fig; 1, and so as to be within easy reach of a person of ordinary height or of a person of small stature. The switch, or the gas plug or valve, is operated by turning the pendant or stem 9 for the eye or loop 10, or the cross bar 13 to engage the body of the ear 5, and with the continued turning of the pendant or stem the clasp or socket will be turned, turning the fingerpiece or button held therein and operating the switch, or the valve, to turn on or turn 01f the light as may be required.

The turn key of the present invention is of simple construction and can be readily and quickly applied to the fingerpieces or buttons of electric light switches or gas plugs or valves; and when applied, the turn key furnishes a ready and efiective means for operating the electric light switch or the plug or valve of a gas fixture; the socket or clasp when the finger piece or button is entered thereinto, will be retained in proper position, and at the same time is capable of being detached from the finger-piece or button, thus enabling a householder or other party to attach the turn key to the electric light or gas fixture and use the same during the occupancy of a house or room or building, and remove the same upon departure from the house, room or building.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a turn key for light fixture buttons, the combination of a yoke -shaped clasp formed of a strip of thin spring metal bent on itself to furnish a bottom wall and upwardly projecting side walls providedwith inwardly projecting self-acting spring fingers adapted to engage the opposite sides of a light fixture button, and a pendant loosely connected with the bottom wall, substantially as described.

2. In a turn key for light fixture buttons, the combination of a yokeshaped clasp formed of a strip of thin spring metal bent on itself to furnish a bottom wall and upwardly projecting side walls adapted to engage the opposite sides of a lightfixture button, and a pendant loosely connected with the bottom wall, substantially as described.

3. In a. turn key for light fixture buttons, the combination of a clasp formed of a strip of thin metal bent on itself to furnish side walls and self-acting spring fingers projecting from each corner of the side walls of the clasp for engaging a light fixture button, and a pendant loosely connected with the clasp, substantially as described.

4. In a turn key for light fixture buttons, the combination of a clasp member formed of a strip of thin metal bent to form side walls, spring fingers, end stops, a bottom wall and an ear, a stem member-loosely held in the ear of the clasp, and stops for enabling the operator to readily actuate the button, substantially as described.

In a turn key for light fixture buttons, the combination of a clasp member formed of a strip of thin metal bent into shape to furnish engaging side walls, spring fingers, end stops and a bot-tom wall with a central ear having shoulders, and a stem member having an eye loosely held in the ear of the clasp, for operating the button of the light fixture, substantially as described.

ROBERT M. BRYCE.

Vitnesses ammi: BANNING, PIERSON IV. BANNING. 

